The Tribune

The United Kingdom returned to this year's International Culture, Wine & Food Festival with The GREAT British Pantry. Hosted by the British High Commission Nassau on 17 and 18 October, the stand showcased British food and drink alongside the local partners who bring British products to Bahamian homes every day.

Visitors sampled British favorites including Cadbury Dairy Milk, Quality Street chocolate, Fox's cookies, M&S Percy Pigs, Scottish shortbread, and Mr. Kipling cakes. Four featured displays formed the centrepiece of the stand: Waitrose products through AML Foods, Twinings tea through Horizon Distributors, Soleau premium Welsh spring water, and a British beverages showcase supported by 700 Wines & Spirits. 

"It was a pleasure to bring the UK back to Food Fest. The GREAT British Pantry was our way of showing that Britain and The Bahamas have more in common than people might think. From Twinings tea to Cadbury’s chocolate and Percy Pigs, you'll find many of the same favourites in kitchen cupboards here as in the UK. My thanks go to AML Foods, Horizon Distributors, 700 Wines & Spirits and Soleau for helping us share a little bit of Great Britain with The Bahamas." 

For many Bahamian families, that story starts at the grocery store. AML Foods, one of the country's best-known retailers, showcased the Waitrose range available in its stores, highlighting products already familiar to many local shoppers.  

Nearby, Twinings, one of Britain's most recognisable tea brands, took pride of place through Horizon Distributors, giving visitors a taste of one of the most enduring parts of British daily life. 

The beverages display, supported by 700 Wines & Spirits, featured well-known British brands including Johnnie Walker Black Label, Baileys and Tanqueray gin, all familiar sights on shelves and in hospitality venues across The Bahamas. 

This year's featured partner was Soleau, a premium natural spring water from Wales. Produced by Tumptonics, a female-founded, family-run business, Soleau is sourced from the family's own spring on a fifth-generation farm and packaged in infinitely recyclable aluminum cans. Its focus on sustainability and reducing single-use plastic offered a glimpse of the innovation taking place across Britain today. 

Thanks to the generosity of our partners, whose donated British products were sold at the stand, all proceeds from the GREAT British Pantry will go to The Bahamas Crisis Centre to support its work with individuals and families across the country. This donation reflects the UK's wider commitment to ending violence against women and girls and to supporting the organisations that help those affected. The High Commission thanks everyone who visited the stand over the two days for supporting this cause. 

The GREAT British Pantry forms part of the UK Government's GREAT campaign, which promotes British creativity, quality and enterprise around the world. The festival also offered a chance to spark conversations between UK producers and Bahamian retailers, distributors and hospitality operators. Those links are supported by the CARIFORUM-UK Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), which provides preferential trading arrangements between the UK and CARIFORUM states, including The Bahamas. By promoting greater two-way trade between The Bahamas and the UK, the EPA helps bring more choice to Bahamian consumers when they shop for food. 

Businesses interested in British products, UK-Bahamas commercial partnerships, or opportunities under the CARIFORUM-UK EPA are encouraged to contact the British High Commission Nassau.